Alarm gauge



Nov. 8, 1927.

J. H. ROSENBERG ALARM GAUGE Filed AUE. 15. 1925 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH H. ROSENBERG, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ALARM GAUGE.

Applicacion filed August 13, 1925. Sefia1 N0. 49,938.

My invention relates 130 an a1arm gauge intended for use in the fue1 tank f a motor vehicle, and as Will be Seen fron1 the following specification and in the accompanying drawings, it consists of a floatoperated device adapted t0 136 inserted in a fuel tank, and provided Wi'bh a mechanism which when actuated by the movement of the fl0at as the supply 0f fuel is ahnost exhausted, Will give an audible and a Visible signal as a warning to the driver 01 the vehicle.

This device is also in the nature 0f an im- Provement with a nurnber ofmanifest advantages 0n the structure 01' my co-pending application Serial N0. 22,352 filed April 11, 1925, the said advantages comprising an improved Way of monnting the mechanism which operates the alar1n 150 prevent injury thereto frorn frequent movements of the gasoline cap, an improved construction in the shaft, which locks the operating mechanism'against movement which greatly facilitates assembly, an improve'd construction in the base of cap and in the float rod whereby the leverage thereof is greatly incr-eased, the addition 015 n1eans t0 prevent the giving 01 a fals-e alarm through the slushing 0f the fue1 in the tank when driving over rough roads, und a visible signa1 in addition t0 an audible signa1 which under sonne conditions might not be heard.

I have shown herewith an alarm mechanis1n comprising a clock movement locked against operation through the upward pressure created by the buo-yancy of a fioat positionec1 in the fue1 in the tank, and provided with adequate leverage means as hereinafter more fully set forth. This upward pressure is steady and constant until such time as the supply of fue1 in the tank nears the point 015 exhaustion, at which time, the float Will 1nove downwardly and release for operation the said C1001: movement, thereby giving an alarm 01 notification that the supply of fue1 is nearly exhausted.

It should be unclerstood that while I have shown herein a clock movement f0r the energizing 01 the a1arm mechanism, electrical or other suitab1e operating means could also be utilized.

Other achantages and details appear in the following specification and are shown in the drawings, in whichz Eig. 1 is a vertical sectionalew of the dev1ce 1n pos1t1on m a fuel tank.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view 011 the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view 011 the 1ine 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a lan view of the top 0f the dev1ce.

As shdwn, the fuel tank 5 is provided with a filler opening 6 which is threaded f0r engage1nent with the cap 7 011 the .alarm gaugeQ The clock movement comprises a winding arbor 8, a spring 9 enclosed in the casing 10, and the g-ear train 11 connecting the escapement whee1 12 with t-he arbor 8.

enclosed between the top plate 16 and the bottom plate 17, the latter plate being secured by the shoulder screw 18 to the cap 7.

T0 axioid strain on the clock mechanism and provide for a str0ng wrench grip directly 011 the cap 7 when'the 8211116 is to be screwed into position or unscrewed there- 1rom, t]ne botto1n plate 17 is positioned on the flat c10ck spring, beneath which is another plate positioned 0n the coilspring 19. In the upper surface 01 rhe cap 7, three notches 2020 are provided for engagement with the three lugs 21-21 afi'ixed to the in- Der top Wall 01" the gong 15, so that when the said gong and olock mechanism are rnoved downwardly against the spring 19, and the said lugs 21 engage in the notches 20 (as shown in Fig. 2) the entire gauge rnay be rotated. Normally, when the spring 19 is not compressed, it serves t0 hold the said lugs out 01 engage1nent with the notches.

As shown in Fig. 4 a visib1e signal 22 1nay be nsed to indicate to the eye what ehe sound of the gong indicates to the ear. This Will 11013 always be necessarily us-ed anal the forma thereof could be varied as to 00101, It is shown herewith as the Word Reserve, showing through an aparture 23 cut in the gong 15 and it cou1d be moved into a position where it could be seen by any of the usual mgathods of attachment t0 the mechanism which cases the gong to sound.

As the float in this app2yratus is necessarily of sma1l dimei1sions, and as it is most important that when there is an ample supply 0f fue1 in the tank, the clock mechanisin shall be positively locked agains t ihr; operati0n 0f any alarm signal, I have devised means f0 r increasing the leverage 01 1 the construction which operates t0 lock theclap per against striking the gong, i;he said mezms consisting 01 a fioat r0d 28 secured at its lower end to the float 29 and bent outwardly at its upper end where it is secured to 0110 end 0f the lever 27 Which is plvoted on the 111g 26, .the opposite end of the said lever being attached J'LO uhe lo.wer end 0i' the r0d 25. 011 the upper end 0f the said x0d 25, a stop 111g 24 is provided which hohfls tthe cl:ppcr 14: against movement when the float is sup ported by an a1np1e supply 0fi fuel 111 the tank, and moves 0ut 013 the pat'h 01" the said clapper und permits a signal alarm to be given when the said float drops to a predetermined point. The use of this st0p Ing works an economy in manufncturing und assembling the device, the latter being practically impossibl-a ii the 10d 25 Ls nmde in 0119 pieoe.

The slush bottom 31 in the cylinder 80 in Whih the gauge is enclosed, is' provided to prevent an alarm being given bef01e the sup ply cf fuel has reached a predetermined level which might he caused by the slushing- 035 the fue1 32 in the tank 5WV1111 d1iving over rough roadspr obstructions.

As is obvious from the foregoing, when this device is positioned in atank filled with liquid fuel, the float supported thereby Will hold the l0np; end of the lever 27 in an elevgted Position and that this will result i n causing the stop lug 24 t0 lock the clapper M against giving any alarm signal. When the float moves downwardly to the Predeterminedpoint indicative 0f approachihg fuel exhgu s tion, in a reverse manner alle stop Ing 2 2 is moved upwardly and the clappe1 is 1e lased m give, tl1e glarm. Y

I d0 not desire to limit myself stricly t0 the details sh0wn in this preierred fomnof my device as there are various Ways iri whi ch the broad principles involved may be" applied without any departure fromthe scQpe and spirit 0f my invention.

1 claim:

In an alarm gauge for liquid fuel tanks the combination 0f the following elements; a casing provided with a slush bottom ag d adapted m be detachably mounted in thei'lller opening 0if 21 i'ucl tank; a cl osure therei'01; comp ising u cap, a (21001; meqhanism, anti an zmdible signal mounted in gpa ced 1elation ab the saicl cap and adaptegl to be operated by the said clock mechqnism; :gnpans 1701 locl-zing together for simultaneous BOW- Lion bhe sai. signal, cap, and czpsing; ancl means adapted to control the operation bf be, said ;:l0ek mechanism andcqmprising g float suspended in -the said casing, a rod secured aa one f its ends to thc saic1 floaflqnd provide at it's othr end with anflpgulzir band, a lever pivotally securedat 0ne of it's ends -m0 the saic1 rod a second -rod securcd to the said leVer and provided with a stop membe1 adapted to move in to Gut 0 f engagenient W-ith t he said cl ock mechan1sm.

- JOSEPH H="ROSENBERG 

